Stormalong Bay Pool Guide: Disney’s Yacht & Beach Club

6 October 2026 by Steve Bell Leave a Comment

Stormalong Bay Is More Than a Disney Resort Pool

Stormalong Bay is the sprawling pool complex shared by Disney’s Beach Club Resort, Disney’s Yacht Club Resort, and Disney’s Beach Club Villas.

And calling it simply a “pool” really undersells it.

The 3-acre complex combines a sand-bottom swimming area, lazy river, sandy beach entry, quiet coves, whirlpool spas, children’s areas, and a 230-foot waterslide that begins inside a life-size shipwreck on the shore of Crescent Lake.

Location

Stormalong Bay sits between Disney’s Beach Club Resort and Disney’s Yacht Club Resort along the Crescent Lake promenade.

It is also available to guests staying at Disney’s Beach Club Villas.

The complex stretches across the waterfront rather than sitting in one compact courtyard, so it takes a little more effort to understand than a typical Disney resort pool.

Who Can Use Stormalong Bay?

Stormalong Bay is restricted to registered guests staying at:

• Disney’s Beach Club Resort
• Disney’s Yacht Club Resort
• Disney’s Beach Club Villas

Guests staying at other Walt Disney World resorts cannot pool-hop to Stormalong Bay, including guests at the other resorts around Crescent Lake.

Cast Members verify your resort stay and issue wristbands for pool access.

You can use a MagicBand, Key to the World card, or My Disney Experience on your mobile device to verify your stay.

Do not plan on inviting friends or relatives staying elsewhere at Walt Disney World to join you at Stormalong Bay.

Stormalong Bay Is a Complex of Different Pool Areas

Stormalong Bay does not feel like one large swimming pool.

It is a collection of connected and adjacent water areas, including:

• Sand-bottom swimming areas
• A gently sloping sandy beach entry
• A lazy river
• Quieter coves and calmer sections
• A large shipwreck waterslide
• A smaller children’s waterslide
• Three whirlpool spas
• An elevated tanning deck

That variety allows different members of the family to use the complex in very different ways without everyone needing to spend the afternoon doing the same thing.

The Sand-Bottom Pool Is What Makes Stormalong Bay Different

The sand-bottom areas are the feature that most clearly separates Stormalong Bay from the other Walt Disney World resort pools.

This is not simply a themed pool surrounded by a beach. Parts of the swimming area actually have sand under the water, and the gently sloping sandy entry creates an environment that feels much more like beach play than a conventional hotel pool.

That can be especially good for younger children who may care more about digging and playing in the sand than riding a large waterslide.

The Stormalong Bay Lazy River

Stormalong Bay includes a circular lazy river where guests can float on inner tubes.

The current carries you around the loop and gives the complex another feature that feels more like a small water park than a typical resort pool.

It is also an easy change of pace when you want something more relaxing than swimming or repeatedly using the slide.

The Shipwreck Waterslide

The headline thrill feature is the 230-foot-long waterslide.

It begins from the mast of the large shipwreck sitting on the beach along Crescent Lake and carries riders back toward Stormalong Bay.

Stormalong Bay for Younger Children

Younger children do not need to use the big waterslide to get a lot out of Stormalong Bay.

The gently sloping sandy beach gives them a place to wade and play, and the Shipwreck Pool has a miniature waterslide.

For some younger children, though, the simplest feature may be the best one: finding a quiet sandy section and playing there.

Whirlpool Spas, Quiet Areas, and Adults

Stormalong Bay is not just for families with children.

The complex includes three whirlpool spas, quieter swimming areas, an elevated tanning deck, the lazy river, and plenty of places to spend time away from the busiest waterslide and children’s areas.

That makes it easy for adults to enjoy Stormalong Bay even if they have no interest in the big slide.

It is also useful for families whose members want different things from a pool afternoon. Some can head toward the activity while others settle into one of the calmer sections.

Poolside Activities

Disney schedules family-friendly recreational activities at Stormalong Bay.

These can include:

• Pool games
• Relays
• Trivia
• Themed pool parties

Activities and schedules change, so check with the Recreation Cast Members during your stay rather than planning around a specific activity in advance.

Food and Drinks at Stormalong Bay

Hurricane Hanna’s Waterside Bar and Grill sits beside Stormalong Bay and is the most convenient option when you want food or drinks without turning the pool break into a full resort meal.

It serves quick-service food along with cocktails, frozen drinks, draft beer, and other beverages.

Nearby, Beaches & Cream Soda Shop is another convenient option. The restaurant serves burgers, sandwiches, and its well-known ice cream desserts, and there is also a to-go window for ice cream and beverages if you do not want a full table-service meal.

You also have the broader Yacht & Beach Club dining lineup nearby, but Hurricane Hanna’s is the natural choice for a dedicated pool day.

What Parents Should Know Before Using Stormalong Bay

Stormalong Bay is fantastic for families, but its size and layout make supervision different from sitting beside one conventional pool.

Children of different ages may want to spend their time in entirely different sections, and younger children using the large waterslide may need an adult to escort them out of the pool enclosure and across the Crescent Lake promenade.

The variety is one of Stormalong Bay’s greatest strengths. It is also the main reason parents should understand the layout before simply turning everyone loose.

What If You Want a Quieter Pool?

Stormalong Bay is not your only swimming option when staying at these resorts.

The Yacht & Beach Club complex also has three leisure pools:

• Tidal Pool at Disney’s Beach Club Resort
• Admiral Pool at Disney’s Yacht Club Resort
• Dunes Cove Pool at Disney’s Beach Club Villas

Each also has a whirlpool spa.

These are better choices when you simply want a quiet swim without the activity and sprawling layout of Stormalong Bay.

Should You Plan a Resort Day for Stormalong Bay?

If you are staying at the Yacht Club, Beach Club, or Beach Club Villas and enjoy pools, I think Stormalong Bay deserves more than a quick swim after a park day.

This is one of the Walt Disney World resort amenities that can justify deliberately leaving time open in your vacation schedule.

We did exactly that on one of our Beach Club stays. Rather than treating the resort simply as a place to sleep between park days, we planned downtime and spent a significant part of it at Stormalong Bay.

That is a much better way to experience the complex than trying to squeeze in a short swim after a long park day.

Should Stormalong Bay Influence Which Disney Resort You Choose?

Yes—but how much depends on the way you vacation.

When we stayed at Beach Club regularly, our primary reason for choosing it was not Stormalong Bay.

It was the exceptionally close access to EPCOT.

Being able to walk from Beach Club to EPCOT’s International Gateway is still, for me, one of the resort’s biggest advantages.

But Stormalong Bay adds real value on top of that location.

It should matter more if:

• You deliberately schedule resort or pool time
• Your children love swimming and water activities
• You want a resort amenity that feels substantially different from a typical hotel pool
• You expect to spend enough time at the resort to actually use it

It should matter less if:

• Your vacation is almost entirely park-focused
• You leave early and return late most days
• Your family rarely uses hotel pools
• You are choosing between resorts primarily on price, transportation, or room configuration

I would not pay a large premium for Beach Club or Yacht Club solely because Stormalong Bay exists if the family is unlikely to spend meaningful time there.

But if you are already comparing these resorts with another Deluxe option and your family loves pool time, Stormalong Bay is a legitimate differentiator.

Bottom Line

Stormalong Bay combines features you will not find together at any other Walt Disney World resort pool: a sand bottom, sandy beach areas, lazy river, quiet coves, shipwreck waterslide, children’s areas, whirlpool spas, and plenty of space to spend a substantial part of a resort day.

The waterslide entrance is the one operational drawback I would plan around if you have younger children.

Otherwise, Stormalong Bay’s variety is exactly what makes it so good.

I consider it the best resort pool at Walt Disney World, and if you are staying at Beach Club, Yacht Club, or Beach Club Villas, it is worth setting aside enough time to actually enjoy it.